J. Cole – Ni**az Know

J. Cole's Born Sinner has been highly anticipated, which is a lot of pressure when 2013 already has played, and will continue to play, host to outstanding acts like Kanye West, Tyler, the Creator, and Disclosure (which is a little bit like comparing apples to oranges, but still an album worth mentioning in terms of 2013 LP success). However, he seems up for the task, as he has released mixtapes and pushed back the release date for his album to keep up with the musically great year that is 2013.

Unlike his previous release, the beat is simple, highlighting his deep rhymes instead of trying anything super fancy. Nothing detracts from what he has to say, and while some artists work better with the catchy hooks, voice manipulation, and guest stars, J. Cole proves that he can create a hit without one. This one is definitely for the streets, with references to some historical rap figures (see if you can spot who).

His album, Born Sinner, will come out on June 18th. He also has about 5 upcoming performances, although more will surely be added after his album is released.